NEW COVENANT TRUTHS Rev. Nick J. Bitakis

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1 NEW COVENANT TRUTHS BY Rev. Nick J. Bitakis Copyright June 1999 by Rev. Nick J. Bitakis, New Life Christian Fellowship, Oak Park, IL 60302

2 Table of Contents I The Meaning of Covenant... 1 II God is a Covenant Making God and a Covenant Keeping God III The New Covenant is the Covenant in Effect Today IV The New Covenant is much better than the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:6). 3 V The New Covenant and the Old Covenant are not to be mixed... 3 VI New Covenant Focus... 4 VII New Covenant Emphasis... 4 VIII New Covenant Forgiveness... 5 IX New Covenant Salvation... 5 X New Covenant People of God... 5 XI New Covenant Presence of the Holy Spirit... 6 XII New Covenant Sanctification... 8 XIII New Covenant Guidance... 8 XIV New Covenant Praying... 9 XV New Covenant Kingdom...11 XVI New Covenant Commandments...13 XVII New Covenant Temples...14 XVIII New Covenant Priesthood & Sacrifices...15 XIX New Covenant Ordinances & Practices...15 XX New Covenant Promised Land...17 XXI New Covenant Jerusalem...17 XXII New Covenant Day of Rest...18

3 New Covenant Truths Luke 22:20 I The Meaning of Covenant A. It has a lot of meaning in the Bible: 1) A binding agreement, or a mutual understanding between parties. 2) A pact (Genesis 15:7; Jeremiah 34:18). 3) An alliance of friendship (Psalm 25:14) 4) A divine constitution with pledges 5) A promise (Genesis 9:12-16; Genesis 12:1-3) B. In the New Testament there are two Greek words for covenant. Diatheke means a disposition, arrangement, testament, or will. The other Greek word, Suntithemai means to put together, place together, or to make arrangement. In the New Testament it is a promise or an arrangement made by God to us (Galatians 3:14-18; Romans 15:8). God is a God of promise, and the Scriptures are full of God promising us blessings, and arranging a way for us to receive those blessings. C. In the Scriptures, the New Covenant has conditional and unconditional aspects to it. Sometimes, God wants faith, sometimes He requires nothing; He unconditionally promises us something, and He does it without anything we do. In any case, God is the initiator, and He does the promising and blessing, and we do the receiving. II God is a Covenant Making God and a Covenant Keeping God. A. God has made covenants with various people and groups in the Bible: 1) With Noah (Genesis 6:18) 2) With Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:18) 3) With David (II Samuel 23:5) 4) With Moses & Israel (Exodus 24:7,8; Deuteronomy 5:1-5) 5) With Believers in the New Covenant (Matthew 26:27,28) Some Bible teachers believe that there are nine different types of covenants in the Bible: The Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, (called Old Covenant), Palestinian, Davidic, New, and Everlasting Covenant. There are New Covenant principles in the previous covenants, and there are abiding 1

4 principles of God in every covenant. God loves to reveal, make, and keep covenants. B. Why does God make covenants with man? What is the purpose? 1. God wants to reveal His purpose and His will to us. God wants us to know what His will is for us, and to be co-partners with Him. 2. God wants us to know that He is a God that keeps His word. When God promises something to us, you can bank on it, you can trust His promises. This gives us a solid security, or a sense of security. 3. God wants to reveal His great love toward us. This is especially true of those unconditional aspects of His covenant (Hebrews 13:5). 4. God wants to commit Himself to us in a covenant, which will motivate us to commit ourselves to Him. In this commitment relationship, a closeness to God will grow. III The New Covenant is the Covenant in Effect Today. A. The Lord Jesus made this covenant with His own blood (Matthew 26:27, 28). The Old Mosaic Covenant was in effect until the death of Jesus Christ. It was the dominant and prevailing covenant in the Old Testament scriptures. The life and ministry of Jesus Christ was under the Old Mosaic Covenant. He taught many the New Covenant principles, but while Jesus was living on this earth, He was still under the Old Covenant. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, the New Covenant came into effect. Everyone who now receives Christ as Savior enters into the New Covenant which is far better than the Old Mosaic Covenant Hebrews 7:22; 8:6). B. The New Covenant has some similarities with the Old Mosaic Covenant, but there are many substantial changes. God is the initiator of all covenants. He still wants us to trust Him, but some of His commands in the New Covenant are different, with a different motivation. We are to forgive, but not in order to be forgiven. We are to forgive because we already have been forgiven. Compare Matthew 18:21-35 with Ephesians 4:32. God still requires blood, but the blood of Christ was sufficient and perfect. The blood sacrifices of the Old Covenant were not sufficient. God s moral will has always been in effect, and is still in effect today. There is a priesthood and sacrifices, but in the New Covenant they are different. There are many things in the Old Mosaic Covenant that have become obsolete and have ceased (Hebrews 8:13). 2

5 There were New Covenant truths and principles in the Old Covenant, which we need to see, but they became fully manifested and revealed in the New Testament. IV The New Covenant is much better than the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:6). A. Under the Old Covenant, they only experienced the shadows of spiritual realities (Hebrews 10:1). Moses, the tabernacle, the sacrifices, etc. were illustrations or shadows of true spiritual realities. Under the New Covenant we experience the reality of Jesus Himself, the reality of our sins totally removed, the reality of God s light and revelation, the reality of true bread from Heaven, and the reality of God s presence. The real thing is better than a picture! B. Under the New Covenant we have better promises and blessings (Hebrews 8:6-13). God has promised us much better blessings under the New Covenant through Christ. They are better in quality and better in quantity. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). It is better because we have a better mediator (Jesus) of the New Covenant, a better sacrifice for sins, and a better salvation. Jesus, and what He did on the cross, made it much better (Hebrews 8, 9, 10). C. Under the New Covenant we have spiritual freedom (Galatians 4:21-31). The illustration of the two women who bore sons to Abraham represent two covenants, and these two covenants are different and bring different results. The one covenant represented by Hagar, brings bondage, and the other covenant represented by Sarah, brings freedom, freedom in Christ, and freedom in the Spirit (Galatians 4:31; 5:1). There are many ways that the Old Mosaic Covenant spirit manifests itself today, and when it does, it brings people into bondage. Some try to mix the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, which you can t do. The Bible says, Get rid of that slave woman... (Galatians 4:30), and that the Old Covenant is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). If we live entirely under the New Covenant, we will be free in Christ! V The New Covenant and the Old Covenant are not to be mixed (Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22; Luke 5:36-39). A. The Lord Jesus brought in something brand new, represented by the new garment and new wine. We have a new mediator (Jesus), new salvation, new forgiveness, new ministry of the Spirit, new way of guidance, new 3

6 focus, new emphasis, new hope, new people of God, new priesthood, new joy, new love, new gifts, new freedom and fullness, new fellowship, new word, new promises, and new blessings. B. The Lord Jesus taught clearly in these parables that you cannot mix or blend the two covenants. We need to put ourselves entirely under the New Covenant and walk or live in New Covenant truths and receive New Covenant blessings. We must also have a New Covenant mentality, so that we can receive the New Covenant wine or New Covenant truths and blessings. Those new wineskins represent the new mentality that we should have. VI New Covenant Focus A. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant, the focus was the tabernacle - later the Temple, the Priesthood, and the Law. B Under the New Covenant the focus is God s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2). He brought into effect this New Covenant, and He is the God-man. We are to trust Him, love Him, serve Him, and look to Him for everything. VII New Covenant Emphasis A. Under the Old Covenant, the emphasis was the law and the externals. B. Under the New Covenant, the emphasis is the grace of God (John 1:17), and the internal (John 4:19-24). There was the grace of God in the Old Covenant, but the emphasis was the law and obeying the law. Jesus, and what He did was the greatest manifestation of grace. We are living in a dispensation (period of time) of grace. Grace is God s unearned blessings and God s free enablement to live the Christian life. God is pouring out His grace into our lives through Christ. We receive freely through Christ (Romans 8:32). The New Covenant also emphasizes the internal, the heart and spirit in man (John 4:19-24; Romans 2:28,29). God wants us to worship Him from within, and to be holy on the inside. God wants to change us from the inside out. God wants us to live a life style of obedience. The scriptures teach that in the New Covenant, God would put His laws within the hearts and minds of man (Hebrews 8:10). 4

7 VIII New Covenant Forgiveness God s forgiveness in the Old Mosaic Covenant was not as thorough and complete as in the New Covenant. In both covenants, there was the requirement of shed blood (Hebrews 9:22). Under the Old Covenant, there were continual animal sacrifices which were an atonement for their sins (Leviticus 17:11). Atonement means to cover, and these animal blood sacrifices covered the sins of the Israelites so that God could accept and bless them. These sacrifices were imperfect since they never permanently removed sin from God s sight, and never removed all of their sins (Hebrews 10:1-4). They were never once purged or cleansed from all their sins. Now under the New Covenant, the shed blood of Christ removed our sins, past, present and future. All our sins have once for all time been removed in the sight of God. We have been purged forever, perfected forever and fully forgiven once and for all (Hebrews 9:6-15; 10:10-19). Under the New Covenant, the forgiveness of sins is complete and eternal. IX New Covenant Salvation In the Old Covenant, the emphasis of salvation was more a physical salvation. To be saved meant to be saved from their physical enemies (Exodus 14:13, 14, 30; Psalm 18:1-3), and the preservation and well being of their physical lives (Deuteronomy 6:24; Genesis 32:30; Proverbs 10:27, 28:18; Deuteronomy 30:6,19, 20). This concept of preservation and well being of the physical life is also seen in the New Testament in James, when it talks about the saving of our souls, which really means the saving of our lives (James 1:21; 5:19,20). But in the New Covenant, and in the fuller revelation of salvation in the New Testament scriptures (especially in Paul s epistles), salvation means to be spiritually saved from our sins, Hell and evil powers. Through Christ there is that full assurance of salvation and eternal life. It includes justification before God which was not fully revealed in the Old Covenant, being saved from the power of sin or living a victorious life, experiencing the many spiritual blessings in Christ, (Romans 5:1-11; 6:17-22; Ephesians 1:3) and our final salvation in the future. The emphasis is on the spiritual and our spiritual living union with Christ. X New Covenant People of God A. Under the Old Covenant, the chosen people of God were national Israel or the nation of Israel. God chose Abraham and promised to bless his descendants, and bless the seed line through Isaac (Genesis 21:12). The 5

8 collective name used to describe God s covenant people was Israel, and it referred to all the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel (Genesis 49:1-28). It was first used of Jacob after he wrestled with God at Peniel (Genesis 32:22-32). The word Israel means to be a prince with God, a prince who has power with God and with men, and has prevailed (Genesis 32:28). Now, even in the Old Mosaic Covenant there was a spiritual Israel within the natural Israel (Romans 9:6), composed of all those Israelites who were true believers in the Lord. God s will for national Israel was that they were to be set apart unto Him (Exodus 19:5, 6). We also know that God preserved the nation of Israel, and used the nation of Israel to bring forth the Messiah, (Jesus), the ultimate and perfect Israelite (Romans 1:2-4), who fully and completely prevailed and overcame (Revelation 5:5). B. Under the New Covenant, God s chosen people and true Israel is all who belong to Jesus Christ through faith (Galatians 3:29). The New Covenant Israel of God is the church, or all those who are saved. The New Covenant Jews are composed of all the saved natural Jews and Gentiles (Philippians 3:3; Galatians 6:16; Romans 2:28, 29). We, believers in Christ, are the new spiritual nation of God, the new people of God, and the true seed of Abraham (I Peter 2:9,10; Galatians 3:29). We inherit Abraham s blessings. Now, there is one body, and God has broken down the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16). God will work sovereignly in the end to bring many natural Jews to Christ, and a vast number will get saved in the last days (Romans 11:25,26). They will get saved the same way the Gentiles get saved, through faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26), and will be a part of the New Israel of God or the New People of God, who are joined to Christ. They will be part of the Church, and not as a separate people of God. They will be grafted into the one olive tree of God (Romans 11:11-24). Under the New Covenant, saved Jews and Gentiles are spiritually one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). XI New Covenant Presence of the Holy Spirit A. Under the Old Covenant the normal ministry of the Holy Spirit was with Old Covenant believers, as compared to being in all New Covenant believers (John 14:17). The Spirit did indwell a few Old Testament believers, but not most of them. The Spirit came upon people in the Old Covenant for a particular purpose (Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; I Samuel 10:9-10; 16:13). The Spirit did not come upon people and 6

9 stay, but in fact, there was always the reality of the Spirit leaving them when they sinned. David prayed that the Holy Spirit would not leave him after he fell into sin (Psalm 51:11). We as New Covenant believers, do not and should not pray that prayer, because the Spirit has come to live in us forever (John 14:16). The Spirit of God in the Old Covenant helped God s people mainly in their physical deliverance, battles and other physical activities, such as in the building of the tabernacle (Exodus 35:30,31). Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit s emphasis is a spiritual work, and of a spiritual nature. B. Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells and lives inside of every believer. He has joined Himself to our spirits. He is with us, but He is also in us. This unique ministry of indwelling (living in us) is a distinctive truth in the New Covenant (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Even the carnal fleshly Christians at Corinth had the indwelling presence of the Spirit, the Spirit was living in them. Under the New Covenant, the moment a person hears and believes the gospel, he is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13- the Holy Spirit is the seal). The hearing, believing and sealing are all simultaneous actions. Unlike the Old Covenant, every believer in Christ has the Spirit of God living in him. Unlike the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit will never leave the New Covenant believer, even if he sins (Ephesians 4:30). We may grieve and quench the Spirit, but He will never leave. The Spirit will work in us, correct, change and comfort us. He will never give up on us, and depart from us. This is a manifestation of God s grace in the New Covenant. What other New Covenant distinctive truths does the Spirit s continual and permanent indwelling presence mean to us? There are several distinctive New Covenant truths: 1. The Spirit indwelling us means that we are guaranteed our future salvation, or our future inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). 2. The Spirit indwelling us means that we now are being inwardly transformed or changed into the image or likeness of Christ. Our inner natures are being radically changed by the indwelling presence of the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:18). 3. The Spirit indwelling us means that we now are inwardly empowered by the Spirit to live a victorious Christian life (Ephesians 3:16). We can overcome sin, Satan, and the obstacles in this life through the indwelling power of the Spirit. 7

10 4. The Spirit indwelling us means that we now are being personally guided by the Holy Spirit in our daily lives (John 16:13). Under the New covenant the primary means of personal guidance is the written word and the indwelling presence of the Spirit. Also, under the New Covenant, there is a greater release of the presence of the Spirit than under the Old Covenant (John 7:38,39). After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is working in a greater and fuller way. We are experiencing more of the Spirit s presence, and are experiencing greater blessings of the Spirit. There are greater ministries of the Spirit, and a deeper work of the Spirit under the New Covenant. XII New Covenant Sanctification A. The Lord has always sanctified His people. The Word sanctified means to be set apart, set apart unto God. To be sanctified means to be set apart from sin, unto God for worship and service. Under both covenants, Old and New, sanctification includes dedication and separation. Sanctification means to be dedicated unto God, wholly given to God for His purpose. Sanctification also means to be separated from sin or anything ungodly. It always includes not being involved in anything sinful or ungodly, and to obey God. B. Under the New Covenant, a deeper and another dimension has been added to the meaning of sanctification, which is transformation (Romans 12:1,2; II Corinthians 3:18). This new dimension of inward transformation by the Spirit is a reality because of the indwelling presence of the Spirit, which was not under the Old Covenant. This inward transformation is a work of the Spirit by which He radically changes us on the inside to be like Christ. Our very sinful human nature is being radically changed to be like Christ s nature. The Spirit is transforming our minds, wills, desires, motives, conscience, character, all that composes our inner nature, into the very likeness of Christ. Of course, this is a gradual process that takes place throughout our Christian life. This process will come to completion and perfection when Christ comes back (I John 3:2). XIII New Covenant Guidance 8

11 The Lord has always guided His people both in the Old and New Covenants. Under the Old Covenant, the Lord guided His people primarily through the Law (given by God through Moses), and the Prophets (Luke 16:31). The Law was composed of the moral law, ceremonial law, and the civil law. The moral law of God continues to be the will of God today, but it is not the complete written word of God. The Old Covenant people of God did not have the complete written word of God, nor did they have the personal indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Besides the Law, the Lord raised up prophets to guide God s people, and they were a primary means of guidance under the Old Covenant. Now, under the New Covenant, the primary means of guidance is through the completed written word of God (with emphasis on the New Testament epistles), and the personal indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The scriptures are the final authority, and it is the way God guides His people (II Timothy 3:15-17). The Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us (John 14:17; 16:13). He helps us to understand God s Word, and He applies the Word to us. He also speaks to us, and helps us in our everyday life. He will never contradict the scriptures. So, together, the written word and the indwelling presence of the Spirit are God s main and primary means of guiding His people today. The Lord does use secondary and other supplemental ways of guidance through men, circumstances, counselors, prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, dreams and visions, etc. These secondary means of guidance will supplement or confirm God s primary means of guidance, which is by the written word and the indwelling presence of the Spirit. XIV New Covenant Praying God has always been a God who hears and answers prayer. God answered many prayers in the Old Covenant, and God has always used prayer to accomplish His plan and purpose. Under the New Covenant prayer is even more effective and better. There are more and deeper blessings which come as a result of New Covenant praying. Why is prayer better and more effective in the New Covenant? A. Under the New Covenant, we have a permanent and direct access to God at all times (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12). Access means being able to come directly into His presence at any time. Christ cleared the way, and completely removed all the obstacles from our coming into God s presence. He thoroughly dealt with all sin which hindered our prayers (Psalm 66:18). There were always two obstacles which hindered prayers from being answered in the Old Covenant - sin and demonic spirits. 9

12 Demonic spirits had a lot of authority and power in the heavens above before Christ s death and resurrection. Christ s shed blood removed the obstacles to prayers being answered. When Christ died, the four inch veil in the temple between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies tore from the top to the bottom, signifying that we now have direct access into God s presence. We can now come with confidence into God s presence in prayer, and continually coming into God s presence in prayer brings many helpful blessings (Hebrews 4:16). B. Under the New Covenant, we are in union with Christ and His righteousness (Ephesians 2:16-18; II Corinthians 5:21). Sin was not thoroughly dealt with in the Old Covenant, and sin always hindered our prayers from being answered (Psalm 66:18). But now in Christ, all our sins are removed from God s sight, and we are clothed in perfect righteousness the righteousness of Christ. Now we can approach God though Christ, even if we have committed some sins. God accepts us and hears our prayers through Christ. If we come into His presence, and we have sinned, He will speak to us about it and correct us, but He still hears our prayers because of our union with Christ. This is God s grace! A physical father will always allow his son to come into his presence and communicate with him, even though the son did some bad things, because he is his son. We have the promise of I John 5:14, 15, that God answers all our prayers that are within His will. C. Under the New Covenant, we have Jesus Christ as our High Priest who is always praying and helping us (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25). As we pray, the Lord Jesus, our High Priest and Mediator, is praying and interceding for us. Jesus, through His death, has broken Satan s power and authority, defeating Satan and all his cohorts in the heavens (John 12:31; Revelation 12:7-11). Satan and his cohorts have been dethroned from the heavenly sphere where he ruled. Jesus keeps these evil beings from interfering or hindering our prayers. In the Old Covenant there was the possibility of an evil prince hindering prayers from being answered (Daniel 10:10-13). Satan can attack us when we pray, or keep us from praying, but he cannot hinder or stop prayers offered in the will of God. As our praying High Priest, Jesus is perfecting our prayers. Many times we do not see the whole picture, but He does. He is like an editor, he edits and perfects our prayers. D. Under the New Covenant, we have more authority in prayer because we are seated with Christ in the heavens (Ephesians 1:20, 21; 2:6). 10

13 We are joint-heirs with Christ, and we share His authority in the New Covenant. Now, through prayer, led by the Spirit, we can pray against Satan s hold and break His power in our lives, and in the lives of others. Through prayer today, we can push back evil, and destroy evil powers, and influence other people and nations. Prayer is a mighty powerful weapon that we have the privilege to use in Jesus name (Ephesians 6: in the context of warfare, prayer is mentioned). Let us continually use this New Covenant power and privilege. E. Under the New Covenant, we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who helps us to pray (Romans 8:26, 27). Under the Old Covenant, they did not enjoy this ministry of the Spirit, so their praying was limited. The Holy Spirit is the best prayer, and He is continually helping us to pray from within our spirits. What does the Spirit do? 1. He motivates us to pray. The Spirit creates a desire inside of us, and influences us to pray. 2. He gives us the inner strength to pray, with earnestness and perseverance. 3. He reveals to us the will of God so that we can pray according to his will. When we pray in His will, we will see answers to prayer. 4. He puts a desire inside of us to intimately praise and worship the Lord. A big part of real prayer is worship, and the Spirit leads us into true worship. 5. He gives us inner spiritual discernment to know how to pray more specifically about a situation, about a person, or about ourselves. XV New Covenant Kingdom A kingdom simply means the territory and subjects over which a King rules and reigns. Since Satan s fall and rebellion, there have been two opposing kingdoms, the kingdom of darkness under the rule of Satan, and the kingdom of light under the rule of God. As far as God s kingdom on earth, it has been in progressive stages and dispensations since the Garden of Eden. God s kingdom on the earth under the Old Covenant was over the land of Palestine. Under Solomon (a king over Israel) it reached its limits (I Kings 4:21-24), and was greatly extended. God promised the land to Abraham and it was fulfilled under Solomon. The territory of the kingdom was over the land of 11

14 Palestine, the subjects were mainly Jews, and there were many successive kings. There was a united kingdom over Israel under Saul, David and Solomon. After those kings, the kingdom was divided into a northern and a southern kingdom, and each had their own kings. The kingdom in the Old Covenant was a national, political, militaristic, and materialistic kingdom. Of course the laws of God were to be obeyed, but it was mainly an earthly kingdom. Now, under the New Covenant, the kingdom has changed. Now, we have a new king who is perfect, the God-man, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, the king of kings, has crushed Satan s kingdom, which the kings in the Old Covenant could not do, and has defeated and pushed back the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 2:14, 15; Revelation 12:7-11). Since the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christ has been advancing His kingdom (Revelation 6:1, 2). The New Covenant kingdom is mainly spiritual (Romans 14:17). To enter this kingdom, a person must be born again, or born of the Spirit (John 3:1-6) by accepting Christ as Savior (John 1:12,13). The territory and subjects of the New Covenant kingdom are all those who are saved of all nations (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:6; 5:9-10; 7:9-17). The New Covenant kingdom is being extended internally in us, and externally throughout the whole world. The more areas in our lives (the territory of the kingdom) we submit to King Jesus, the more His kingdom is extended in us, and the more kingdom blessings (Romans 14:17) we will experience. The more people who hear and believe the gospel of Christ throughout the world, the more His kingdom is extended on this earth. The Bible teaches that Christ s kingdom will invade every people group (ethnos a kind of people separated by language and culture) Revelation 5:9; 7:9). There are about 24,000 people groups on this earth. At the present time, the gospel of Christ is spreading fast to these various people groups. This is why we should be actively involved in world missions. When every people group has been evangelized, the King (Jesus) will come back (Matthew 24:14). The New Covenant kingdom has been promised to grow to large proportions and become big (Matthew 13:31-33). In the end, God s kingdom will be extended greatly, both internally and externally. Multitudes will be saved, and God will work greatly and mightily in the lives of believers. The New Covenant kingdom will also include a new heaven and a new earth (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). Some day, we will experience and enjoy this extension of God s kingdom, under the kingship of Jesus. So, the New Covenant kingdom has changed, and has extended much more than under the Old Covenant. 12

15 XVI New Covenant Commandments Under the Old Covenant, the law of Moses consisted of three major parts: 1) the ceremonial law, which consisted of the various ceremonies, laws of the priesthood, the sacrifices and offerings, the service of the temple, festivals and the Sabbaths; 2) the civil law, which consisted of the laws and statues that governed the national life of the people, legislation of the community, social issues and community life, health and hygiene laws, and economic laws; and 3)the moral law, which consisted of the ten commandments. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God, and the last six deals with our relationship with man (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:1-21). All of these commandments are repeated in the New Covenant in the same way except for the fourth commandment, to remember the Sabbath (I Corinthians 8:4-6; I Corinthians 10:14; Romans 2:24; II Timothy 2:19; Ephesians 6:1-4; I John 3:15; Romans 13:9; I John 5:13; Ephesians 4:28; Romans 7:7-8; Colossians 3:5, and I John 5:20-21). In the New Covenant, every day should be holy or set apart unto the Lord, and our Sabbath rest is in Christ (Colossians 2:16, 17; Hebrews 4:8-10). Now, under the New Covenant, we are under the Law of Christ (I Corinthians 9:21), which is different than the Law of Moses. The New Covenant does not mean lawlessness, but we are under New Covenant principles (another word for law is principle). Like other truths of the New Covenant, there are some similarities, but there are some major differences. Under the New Covenant, the moral law is still applicable, and it represents a very basic standard of God. Of course, keeping the moral law of God does not save, for none of us have perfectly kept it. It still gives us a standard for living our lives. As it has been stated, all of the nine commandments (minus remembering the Sabbath) have been reiterated in the New Covenant. The moral law is God s standard for living for all of us. The New Covenant commands are better, higher, deeper, and greater. We are called to a higher and deeper way of living, resulting in greater blessings and rewards. His new commandments are not burdensome (I John 5:3). Jesus said, that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matthew 11:29). A big difference under the New Covenant is that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to motivate and empower us to keep His commands (Ephesians 3:16). The first command in the New Covenant is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31; I John 3:23). Another great commandment is to love (I John 2:23; 5:2). We are to love God and love others, which Jesus said is the fulfilling of the whole Mosaic Law (Matthew 22:37-40). Under the New Covenant, the law or principle of love is greater. Under the Old Covenant, you were to love your neighbor as yourself, 13

16 but now in the New Covenant we are commanded to love others as Jesus loves us (John 13:34). This challenge to love is greater and deeper than the commandment to love in the Old Covenant. Christ-like love is possible through the indwelling Spirit who gives this love (Romans 5:5), but we must cooperate with the Spirit and experience this love. There are different motives for New Covenant commandments, such as forgiving others. Under the Old Covenant, they were to forgive so that they would be forgiven (Matthew 6:14, 15), but under the New Covenant we are to forgive because we have already been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32). There are many other New Covenant commands: such as praying continually, in everything give thanks, resisting the devil, laying down our lives for the brethren, rejoicing in tribulation, presenting our bodies to God, having our minds transformed, etc. Of course, the command which encompasses all of these commands is the command to be like Christ (I John 2:6). This should be our highest goal and standard, to be like Christ in all areas. So, the New Covenant commands have changed. They are greater in purpose and challenge, and greater in the results and blessings when we follow them. In addition to these greater New Covenant commandments, we have the living, all-powerful Christ who lives in us to enable us to follow and obey these commandments (Philippians 4:13). XVII New Covenant Temples In the Old Covenant, the temples of God were material buildings where God manifested His presence. The temple of God which followed the pattern of the tabernacle was composed of three parts: 1) the outer court; 2) the holy place; and 3) the holy of holies. The material temple was holy or set apart unto God for the service and worship of God. (Exodus 25-40; II Chronicles 3-7). The Old Covenant material temple was used to worship God, and it was in the Holy of Holies part of the temple where God manifested His presence. It was a special dwelling place of God. In the New Covenant, the new temples of God are - the individual Christian believer and the collective body of Christ. Every individual believer in Christ is a temple of God where God s special presence is manifested (I Corinthians 6:18, 19). God lives in us through His Spirit, and our body is God s, and is set apart unto God for service and worship. Therefore, our bodies should be presented to God for His holy use (Romans 12:1, 2). The true church, the body of Christ, or the collective body of believers in Christ, is also the temple of God (Ephesians 2:21, 22). We collectively, are God s building or God s house, and there is the special presence of God in our midst when we come together. We are to serve and worship God together, and enjoy and experience God s manifest special presence together. 14

17 Some teach that during the millennial (1,000 year) reign of Christ upon the earth, in the future after Christ returns, there will again be a material temple where there will be animal sacrifices. This cannot be, since the Old Covenant has ceased with all its rituals and sacrifices. Christ made the one perfect sacrifice for sins, and there is no need for future sacrifices and rituals (Hebrews 8:13; 10:1-18). XVIII New Covenant Priesthood & Sacrifices In the Old Covenant, there was a separate holy priesthood from among God s people. These priests were set apart to come to God for the people. There was a high priest, as well as other priests, and they ministered to God. They went to God ministering and offering animal sacrifices for God s people, and doing other Old Covenant rituals and duties (Exodus 28-30; Hebrews 9:6-10; 10:11). In the New Covenant, every Christian is a holy priest, set apart unto God. All of God s people are priests, and a holy priesthood, which was not true in the Old Covenant (I Peter 2:5,9). We can come directly to God through Christ, without going through a separate priesthood (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12). Under the New Covenant, we offer spiritual sacrifices to God, not animal sacrifices (I Peter 2:5). We don t need to offer any more sacrifices for sin because Christ s one sacrifice for sin was enough to pay the full penalty for all our sins (Hebrews 10:10-18). The spiritual sacrifices we offer are not for sin, they have a different function. Some of these sacrifices we offer today are our bodies for service, praise to God, good deeds, sharing, etc. (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15, 16). Also, as a priest of God, we need to offer prayer to God for the lost. We need to pray and intercede for the lost to get saved. Let us all fulfill our priestly function and do these spiritual things under the New Covenant. Also, under the New Covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ is our High Priest. He once and for all time, offered Himself and shed His own blood (not the blood of animals) for our eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-15). Now as our High Priest, He lives, prays and intercedes continually for us (Hebrews 7:25). Through Christ s intercession we are kept saved unto the end. As a High Priest, He also helps us and gives us continual grace (Hebrews 4:14-16). XIX New Covenant Ordinances & Practices There were many Old Testament ordinances and practices. They were the many sacrifices, circumcision, the keeping of Sabbath days, the keeping of feast days, etc. There were seven feasts (Leviticus 23), grouped around three main feasts (Deuteronomy 16); the feast of Passover, the feast of 15

18 Pentecost (Weeks), and the feast of Tabernacles. These ordinances were to be strictly observed by the Old Testament believer. The Old Testament ordinances and practices were types (divine illustrations) of New Covenant realities (I Corinthians 10:6, 11). They were types (divine illustrations) of Christ, His finished work, His coming, what we have in Christ and the Christian life. There is teaching today that is instructing believers to go back to the Old Testament and practice some of these ordinances and practices such as observing the Sabbath and feast days. This is a wrong and dangerous teaching that puts believers back under the Mosaic Law. The New Testament clearly teaches that we (New Testament believers) are not under the Mosaic Law, but under grace (Romans 6:14; 7:1-4; Galatians 5:18). The Lord Jesus has fulfilled the law for us and His perfect obedience/righteousness has been given to every believer through faith, and not by the works of the law (Romans 3:21, 22; Galatians 2:16). This false teaching that tells New Covenant believers to observe the Sabbath and the Old Testament feast days is mixing grace and law. Jesus warned in Matthew 9:17 that you cannot put new wine (new wine of the new covenant) into old wineskins (Old Covenant teaching & structure). The Apostle Paul wrote the whole book of Galatians condemning the Judaizers who were teaching that New Testament believers should observe the Mosaic Law. Paul calls that teaching another gospel, a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-8). He calls practicing these Old Testament observances as going back to the weak and beggarly elements and into bondage (Galatians 4:9-10). In Colossians Paul tells us that these Old Testament practices and observances were shadows of the reality of Christ and pointed to Christ. We now experience the reality of Christ, and do not need any Old Testament shadows (Colossians 2:16, 17). Let us not in any way let false teachers (Judaizers) put us back under the Mosaic Law (Galatians 5:1-6, 18). There are New Covenant ordinances and practices which should be observed by New Covenant believers. We don t observe them to be saved or to be kept saved. We are saved and kept saved entirely by God s grace. The New Covenant ordinances and practices remind us and symbolize what we have in Christ, and are tangible signs to help our faith. There are 3 observances that believers should practice today, and each have a different meaning. Water Baptism (Matthew 28:19) pictures our union with Christ and our new resurrected life in Christ. The Lord s Supper (I Corinthians 11:23-32) symbolizes the Lord s death and His finished work on the cross. The Anointing with Oil (James 5:14-16) points to the healing we have in Christ and that the Holy Spirit brings us that healing. 16

19 As New Covenant believers, let us practice these 3 New Covenant ordinances and practices, and not Old Covenant ordinances and practices. We are under a better covenant with better promises (Hebrews 8:6) XX New Covenant Promised Land In the book of Genesis, God promised Abraham and his seed a certain piece of land called the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:18). This was later confirmed to Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:2-4; 28:13-15). It was later under Joshua that Israel entered and possessed the land of Canaan, or the promised land (Joshua 1:1-4; 11:23; 21:43-45). It was also under the reign of King Solomon that we see Israel not only possessing the land, but experiencing peace (I Kings 4:21, 24). However, when Israel sinned and rebelled against God, they were brought into bondage by the various Canaanites, or cast out of their land. They did not have the land as an everlasting possession. In the New Covenant and under the New Covenant, there has been some changes as to what defines the Promised Land and to whom it belongs. Today, Abraham s seed or descendants are all believing Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:16, 29). Just because a person is a natural Jew, does not mean he is Abraham s seed (Romans 9:6-8). The true Jew today is the believer in Christ (Romans 2:28, 29). We who put our faith in Christ inherit the promises of Abraham (Romans 4:13-18; Galatians 3:29). The Promised Land, under the New Covenant has changed and broadened. Remember, the New Covenant brings change and increase. It is a better covenant. First, the Promised Land under the Old Covenant was a type of our rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:1-10). The person who believes can a find rest and peace that a place cannot give. Christ gives that rest (Matthew 11:28, 29). True rest is not in a land, but in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, the Promised Land under the New Covenant has broadened to mean the future new earth (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). The ultimate fulfillment of the Promised Land will be the new earth which the writer of Hebrews calls a better and a heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16). The meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and believers will reign on the earth, the new earth (Revelation 5:9, 10). The New Covenant rest is found, first of all, in Christ. Then in eternity, there will be perfect rest and peace in that better land, the new earth. XXI New Covenant Jerusalem The center and capital city of God s dealings with His ancient people Israel, under the Old Covenant, was the earthly city of Jerusalem. Old Covenant 17

20 Jerusalem was the earthly city in the land of Israel for Old Covenant Israel. Jerusalem means city of peace. Some Bible teachers break the word up in a twofold manner: Jeru, which means righteousness, and Salem which means peace. So, Jerusalem was to be the city of righteousness and the city of peace. The prophets spoke much about the city (Isaiah 1:21, 26, 27; Hebrews 7:1, 2). God s purpose and destiny for the city of Jerusalem was to be a city of righteousness and peace. However, the scriptures reveal the failure of earthly Jerusalem to fulfill God s purpose. The people of this city and Israel did not follow the Lord, and God s judgement fell on Jerusalem (Isaiah 1:2; Ezekiel 6:5-9). Jerusalem was taken into captivity by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years. Later, there was a restoration for the city, the temple, the land and the people of the land. When Christ came on the scene, the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem rejected their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the greatest judgement fell on Jerusalem in 70 A.D. when Titus and his Roman army destroyed Jerusalem. The New Covenant writers, having lived in the Old Covenant Jerusalem, pointed to the New Jerusalem which is from above, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16). The New Covenant Jerusalem is the heavenly city, which will be on the new earth (Revelation 21:1-4). In fact, the New Testament compares the Old Covenant earthly Jerusalem and the New Covenant Jerusalem, and teaches that the New Jerusalem is what we are to focus on (Galatians 4:21-31). The earthly Jerusalem is likened to slavery, and the new heavenly Jerusalem to freedom. The scripture says, But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our Mother (Galatians 4:26). In the book of Revelation, we see these two Jerusalems again. In Revelation 11:8, the earthly Jerusalem is called the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. The earthly city is spiritually bankrupt, and is not the city God has prepared for us. It is not the city we should look to or focus on. The Apostle John wants us to look to the New Jerusalem which is now the city of God, which will come down out of heaven from God (Revelation 3:12; 21:1, 2). The ultimate fulfillment of God s city of righteousness and peace will be realized in the New Covenant Jerusalem, which is a heavenly city, called the New Jerusalem. The Apostle John talks all about that city in Revelation This New Jerusalem will be a perfect, beautiful and glorious city experiencing the fullness of God s presence. XXII New Covenant Day of Rest In the Old Covenant and part of the Mosaic Law, was the keeping of the Sabbath day, which was Saturday. There was not to be any work, and it was a day of rest and a day of worship to the Lord. It was the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Now, there 18

21 were other Old Covenant Sabbaths commanded by the Lord for natural Israel to keep - Sabbath Years (Leviticus 25:1-7, 8-24) and Festival Sabbaths (Leviticus 23:2, 4, 7, 8, 21, 24, 27, 35-37). So besides the weekly Sabbaths, there were additional special Sabbaths that Israel had to keep. We need to remember that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27, 28). The day was given for man s benefit, and it was not to be a religious yoke. Man needs physical and spiritual rest. The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day. He is over and above the keeping of a day. We also need to remember that the Mosaic Law was given to natural Israel, and not to the new Israel of the New Covenant. Yes, there is the moral law of God that is revealed in the Mosaic Law, but Sabbath-keeping was not part of the moral law of God. How do we know this? The only commandment of the Ten Commandments that was not repeated in the New Testament was the fourth commandment of Sabbath-keeping. Surely, if Sabbath-keeping was to be a part of the New Covenant, it would have been commanded in the epistles. In fact, the Apostle Paul instructs us not to fall into the bondage of the Mosaic Law and Sabbath-keeping (Galatians 4:10-11; Colossians 2:16-17). Under the New Covenant, we have the liberty to have any day of the week as special, and to come together in worship on any day (Romans 14:5, 6). The early church set apart the first day of the week (Sunday) to gather together and worship the Lord (I Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7). The resurrection of Christ took place on the first day of the week (Sunday) (Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1; Matthew 28:1). We celebrate Christ s resurrection on Sunday, which is called the Lord s day (Revelation 1:10), the day our Lord was raised from the dead. The Sabbath day in the Old Covenant was a shadow of the reality of our rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:1-11). The Sabbath, like other Old Testament ceremonies, pointed to Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of true rest. True rest is not found in a day, but in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28, 29). 19